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Barbados Today

Published on
March 14, 2017

Opposition Leader Mia Mottley Monday evening described Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler’s introduction to the 2017-18 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure as “an admission that the economy is in deep economic difficulties”.

She said that Sinckler’s six-hour presentation revealed an “absolute failure by the Minister of Finance”, who she accused of being on the defensive and attempting to put blame on past Governments.

Mottley also recalled that during debate on an Opposition-sponsored motion of no confidence in the Government back in 2010, Sinckler had denied all of the economic difficulties, which he was now owning up to.

She also reminded him that on the eve of the last elections in 2013, he had “joined in chorus to say there will be no sell off. There shall be no charging of [university] fees. And there will be no layoffs in the public sector”.

The Opposition Leader further attacked the quality of Sinckler’s presentation, saying, “I have never seen as Estimates as poorly prepared as these.

“When you go through it you will see explanatory notes from last year, programmes being explained for last year that don’t exist in this current year,” the Opposition Leader said, asking: “A Cabinet really presided over this?”

“I am not going to dignify and legitimize this exercise. I want us to deal with the strategic issues that face this country,” the Barbados Labour Party leader said.

While accepting the minister’s invitation to have a serious discussion on the future of Barbados, Mottley proposed that it be done almost immediately by cutting short the traditional talk by Members of Parliament on the Estimates, “because we are at that date with destiny today”.

“. . . If we are serious let this House go into immediate [Finance] Committee tomorrow morning, and let us discuss in the context of the heads of the Estimates,” Mottley suggested, while making it clear that she was speaking only for her party and not former BLP leader Owen Arthur, who in the absence of Dr Maria Agard, who is on sick leave, is the lone independent member scheduled to take part in the Estimates debate.

“We are at that time in this chamber when all good men and women must stand up for this country.

“Let us go in and discuss how best we can treat to producing a document by the end of the week that makes sense, that reflects a direction; that is an interim direction, until the people of Barbados can have their own say,” she stressed.

Coming off Saturday’s BLP-led March of Disgust, which attracted a massive crowd estimated at 10,000, Mottley insisted that any action agreed upon must be short term because ultimately the people must make the final decision on who they wanted to lead Barbados to recovery.

“The only option left is to give the people of this country the right to decide and determine their fate at this point,” the representative for St Michael North East said.

“You can’t say that we are at that point and then deny the right of the people to have a say in the quality of life and the type of life that they want in this country,” she insisted, while pointing out that the life of the current Parliament expires in 51 weeks.

After that she said: “no matter what we say, the Prime Minister says, the Parliament dead as a door nail.”

Stressing that the decision on who leads the country out of its current economic challenges should be taken to the people before the constitutionally due date, she asked, “if a conversation and activities for debt re-profiling takes six to 12 months, are we going to seriously have that conversation on the eve of an election, or in the middle ofan election? Or are we going to recognize that we need to do our business as adults . . . and to recognize that we need to go to the people of this country for a clear mandate?”

Mottley said the enormity of Saturday’s march means the people were ready for the sacrifices and changes, “but we feel that we have to be part of that exercise. We can’t be ignored,” she stressed.

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18 thoughts on “Failing grade”

Johnathan

Bajans are totally dumb founded that a government they elected could be so uncaring. There is a clear indication that a new mandate is best for the country and should not be delayed. Are you telling me that despite all of the evidence available to the country and the world that Freundel Stuart just to hold on to power for the next few months to become the fourth longest PM in our history will sacrifice an entire nation.
He has enjoyed a new life as PM he never expected and this disrespectful uncaring lazy slouth would truly hurt our country for his own personal two minutes of f fame.
This man is currently the most hated person ever In This country and bajans no longer even listen to him. I know many people who turn of their television sets the minute they see his nose. He and many of his ministers as well. The country has shown it has had enough and he and his ministers need to respect the wishes of the people and get their big fat cheques and just disappear for the good of the country..

Bajans are totally dumb founded that a government they elected could be so uncaring. There is a clear indication that a new mandate is best for the country and should not be delayed. Are you telling me that despite all of the evidence available to the country and the world that Freundel Stuart just to hold on to power for the next few months to become the fourth longest PM in our history will sacrifice an entire nation.
He has enjoyed a new life as PM he never expected and this disrespectful uncaring lazy slouth would truly hurt our country for his own personal two minutes of f fame.
This man is currently the most hated person ever In This country and bajans no longer even listen to him. I know many people who turn of their television sets the minute they see his nose. He and many of his ministers as well. The country has shown it has had enough and he and his ministers need to respect the wishes of the people and get their big fat cheques and just disappear for the good of the country..

Well said Jonathan !!…like the part when you say ” I know many people who turn of their television sets the minute they see his nose.”……first laugh for the morning ….moon donkey..now this .Bajans…. meking bare mock sport at DEM PM… jack.

Well said Jonathan !!…like the part when you say ” I know many people who turn of their television sets the minute they see his nose.”……first laugh for the morning ….moon donkey..now this .Bajans…. meking bare mock sport at DEM PM… jack.

Lynette Eastmond, Girl think carefully. You CANNOT beat Dr. David Estwick Go run against Mara Thompson. She don’t know anything about St.John. She inherit that seat. She don’t get involved with the people there. She believes St. John is a part of St. Lucia. She knows absolutely NOTHING of Bajan Politics. You can win that seat for sure.

Lynette Eastmond, Girl think carefully. You CANNOT beat Dr. David Estwick Go run against Mara Thompson. She don’t know anything about St.John. She inherit that seat. She don’t get involved with the people there. She believes St. John is a part of St. Lucia. She knows absolutely NOTHING of Bajan Politics. You can win that seat for sure.

With free Primary education
With free secondary education
With fees of 10% for University Education
With free Technical education
With free Health care
With free Polyclinics
With free medicines up to a point
With electricity covering 100% of the country
With water service covering 100% of the country
With excellent telephone and Internet services
With free standpipes(only place in the Caribbean)
With natural gas covering 80% of the country
With a variety of housing solutions covering 90% of the country
With all the household comforts imaginable
With unemployment below 10%
With excellent fire service
With outstanding police Service solving 95% of reported crimes including Murders
With first class Airport services
With award winning Port services
With good road surfaces
With world class Banking services
With World class hotels and Restaurants and Tourism services
With the most beautiful beaches in the World
With the best entertainment
With people of all races living in harmony
With food stuffs or every kind
With Beverages of every kind
With a variety of Religious denominations
With the best Cricket team
With the best Govt. Social care services
With training facilities
With a variety of sporting facilities
With $4billion in Bajan savings on the Bank

and the list goes on. I will highlight more.

Only a group of people calling themselves the Barbados Labour Party and their minions would seek to portray Bajans as living in Hell.

There are plenty people World wide who would gladly trade place with us.

IN A COUNTRY SUCH AS OURS:
With free Primary education
With free secondary education
With fees of 10% for University Education
With free Technical education
With free Health care
With free Polyclinics
With free medicines up to a point
With electricity covering 100% of the country
With water service covering 100% of the country
With excellent telephone and Internet services
With free standpipes(only place in the Caribbean)
With natural gas covering 80% of the country
With a variety of housing solutions covering 90% of the country
With all the household comforts imaginable
With unemployment below 10%
With excellent fire service
With outstanding police Service solving 95% of reported crimes including Murders
With first class Airport services
With award winning Port services
With good road surfaces
With world class Banking services
With World class hotels and Restaurants and Tourism services
With the most beautiful beaches in the World
With the best entertainment
With people of all races living in harmony
With food stuffs or every kind
With Beverages of every kind
With a variety of Religious denominations
With the best Cricket team
With the best Govt. Social care services
With training facilities
With a variety of sporting facilities
With $4billion in Bajan savings on the Bank
and the list goes on. I will highlight more.
Only a group of people calling themselves the Barbados Labour Party and their minions would seek to portray Bajans as living in Hell.
There are plenty people World wide who would gladly trade place with us.

Cadogan you DEM goat. All of those achievements you listed in your farce were done and maintained by the Barbados Labour Party. The “D’ in DLP stands for …. DECEIT…. DESTRUCTION….. DENIAL… DUMB…. DEVALUATION….DEMONS….DOWNGRADE…. and many more… You Carson C Cadogan, chose one….. anyone.

Cadogan you DEM goat. All of those achievements you listed in your farce were done and maintained by the Barbados Labour Party. The “D’ in DLP stands for …. DECEIT…. DESTRUCTION….. DENIAL… DUMB…. DEVALUATION….DEMONS….DOWNGRADE…. and many more… You Carson C Cadogan, chose one….. anyone.

” All of those achievements you listed in your farce were done and maintained by the Barbados Labour Party. ”

I will just use one of those achievements to refute what you say:

Free Secondary education.

When Dipper Barrow was seeking to introduce free secondary education in Barbados, GRANTLEY ADAMS of the Barbados Labour Party fought against it, his famous or infamous words were, “If you educate all the BLACK people who will cut the WHITE people canes?”

” All of those achievements you listed in your farce were done and maintained by the Barbados Labour Party. ”
I will just use one of those achievements to refute what you say:
Free Secondary education.
When Dipper Barrow was seeking to introduce free secondary education in Barbados, GRANTLEY ADAMS of the Barbados Labour Party fought against it, his famous or infamous words were, “If you educate all the BLACK people who will cut the WHITE people canes?”
Not all Bajans have short memories as you BLP people beleive.
I rest my case!!!!

Everyone knows that the staff in the Ministry of Finance prepares the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure and not the Minister of Finance. Like I said before his advisors are accountable. Be it B or D!

Like everyone is now saying what I said before. It is time for a think tank to get together. That was the plan before the march and now after the march!

Everyone knows that the staff in the Ministry of Finance prepares the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure and not the Minister of Finance. Like I said before his advisors are accountable. Be it B or D!
Like everyone is now saying what I said before. It is time for a think tank to get together. That was the plan before the march and now after the march!